Pages

Saturday, 5 July 2014

Review: The Geometry of Love by Jessica Levine

Why is it easier for a
woman to be a muse than to have one? Can one be fully creative—in art or
life—without the inspiration of erotic love? These are the questions
asked in The Geometry of Love, a novel set in New York in the
1980s, then fast-forwarding to Northern California 20 years later.
Julia, an aspiring poet, is living with her British boyfriend Ben, a
restrained professor at Princeton, when she has a chance meeting with
Michael, a long-ago friend. A charismatic composer, Michael was once a
catalyzing muse for her, but now returns as a destabilizing influence.
Julia longs to become involved with Michael, but hesitates to give up
the security of her relationship with Ben. When Michael signals he is
too wounded to make a commitment, Julia turns her triangular situation
into a square by setting him up with a cousin. In the process she
discovers, as Pascal once said, that "the heart has its reasons which
reason does not know." This deeply psychological tale explores the
surprising ways we make romantic choices

Paperback, 292 pages

Published
April 8th 2014
by She Writes Press

Terri's Thoughts
I won a copy of this book via a Goodreads Firstreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

I really struggled with this book. I will clarify that it was not the writing style as it was fine and it was an easy read. It was the content and the characters of the story that did not sit well.

For those opposed to stories about cheating I advise you to stop right now and do not read this story. While I do not get up on my moral high horse very often I found it very uncomfortable with the ease in which Julie made the decisions she did. While she struggled with her feelings for Michael she made other decisions outside of her relationship with relative ease that I found hard to sympathize or identify with.

I also found I couldn't invest in any of the characters. They simply were not compelling enough. I understand that the point of this story is about Julia figuring out her heart and her head and her future but I feel there could have been a better way to do so.

Overall I was disappointed in this read. There just wasn't enough substance for me